The Minnesota Timberwolves returned to the Target Center floor on Friday night to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers after a much-needed two days off. The pair of rest days came on the heels of a season-long six-game road trip followed by a valiant short-handed fight against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets in as brutal of a road/home back-to-back as it gets.
Both Minnesota and Cleveland were projected to play this one severely short-handed.
Cavs Head Coach and University of Minnesota alumnus J.B. Bickerstaff had to cobble a lineup without star guard Donovan Mitchell and standout forward Evan Mobley, as well as key rotation pieces Max Strus and Dean Wade.